Gusto
Gusto Pricing
Gusto pricing from the vendor’s own pricing page: 4 plans, cost by headcount, and the extra fees to budget for.
- starting price
- $49/mo + $6/employee1
Gusto plans
Simple
$6/employee/mo + $49/mo base1
Monthly
- Unlimited payrolls per month
- Tax filings and payments
- Basic PTO policies and holiday pay
Plus
$12/employee/mo + $80/mo base1
Monthly
- Time tracking and scheduling
- Unlimited next day pay
- Multi-state payroll
Premium
$22/employee/mo + $180/mo base1
Monthly
- Premium Account Support
- HR guidance and tools
- Gusto Business Compliance
Solo
$6/employee/mo + $49/mo base1
Monthly
- Compliant self-pay and automatic tax filing
- Reasonable salary calculator
- S corp election and compliance
Price at a glance
Gusto cost by company size
- Simple$49/mo base + $6/employee/mo
- Plus$80/mo base + $12/employee/mo
- Premium$180/mo base + $22/employee/mo
- Solo$49/mo base + $6/employee/mo
| Employees | Simple | Plus | Premium | Solo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $55/mo$1,980 over 3 yrs | $92/mo$3,312 over 3 yrs | $202/mo$7,272 over 3 yrs | $55/mo$1,980 over 3 yrs |
| 5 | $79/mo$2,844 over 3 yrs | $140/mo$5,040 over 3 yrs | $290/mo$10,440 over 3 yrs | Not offered |
| 10 | $109/mo$3,924 over 3 yrs | $200/mo$7,200 over 3 yrs | $400/mo$14,400 over 3 yrs | Not offered |
| 25 | $199/mo$7,164 over 3 yrs | $380/mo$13,680 over 3 yrs | $730/mo$26,280 over 3 yrs | Not offered |
| 50 | $349/mo$12,564 over 3 yrs | $680/mo$24,480 over 3 yrs | $1,280/mo$46,080 over 3 yrs | Not offered |
| 100 | $649/mo$23,364 over 3 yrs | $1,280/mo$46,080 over 3 yrs | $2,380/mo$85,680 over 3 yrs | Not offered |
List prices before discounts and add-ons.
Extra and hidden costs
Implementation fee
None1No implementation fee is listed.
Next-Day pay add-on on Simple
$15/mo + $3/mo per person (included in Plus and Premium)1
Same-day pay
$90 per payroll on Simple and Plus (included in Premium)1
Instant pay
$100 per payroll on Simple and Plus (included in Premium)1
State tax registration
Pricing varies by state1
Global contractor payments
$5 per payment to US-based bank accounts; foreign exchange rates may vary1
R&D tax credits
15% of identified tax credits1
Time & Attendance Plus on Simple
$6/mo per person after free trial1
Gusto Business Compliance
$85/mo per state, annual contract (included in Premium)1
Also listed
Remote I-9, E-Verify, and Contract term
Is it worth the price?
40th percentileGusto at $199/mo1 vs a category median of $201.50 (list price per month at 25 employees, 10 payroll software products with published prices).
At 25 employees, Gusto lists at $199 a month. Of the 10 payroll software products with published prices, 3 cost less, 1 cost the same and 5 cost more.
Price comparison
| Product | Starting price | Pricing model | Pricing details |
|---|---|---|---|
 Patriot Payroll | $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)3 | Base fee + per employee | Patriot Payroll pricing |
 Square Payroll | $35/mo + $6/employee/mo4 | Base fee + per employee | Square Payroll pricing |
 Gusto | $49/mo + $6/employee/mo1 | Base fee + per employee | Gusto pricing |
 SurePayroll | $29/mo + $7/employee/mo (Full Service plan)5 | Base fee + per employee | SurePayroll plans and prices |
 Paychex Flex | $39/mo + $5/employee/mo (up to 19 employees)6 | Base fee + per employee | Paychex Flex plans and prices |
 ADP RUN Powered by ADP | Quote only | Quote only | ADP RUN pricing |
Lowest published monthly price of a plan that files payroll taxes for payroll software, cheapest first at 25 employees. Paychex Flex’s priced plan is not sold at 25 employees. “See plans”: priced on another basis; “Quote only”: no published price.
Gusto price comparisons
Frequently asked questions
How much does Gusto cost?
Gusto costs $49 per month plus $6 per person on Simple and Solo, $80 plus $12 on Plus, and $180 plus $22 on Premium. US contractors are billed at the per-person rate only in months they are paid.
Is Gusto free?
No. Gusto lists paid plans only and publishes no free trial of payroll. Creating an account is free, and billing starts when you run your first payroll.
What fees does Gusto charge beyond the plan price?
Add-ons include same-day pay at $90 and instant pay at $100 per payroll on Simple and Plus, Business Compliance at $85 per month per state, and Priority Support at $30 plus $3 per person. Gusto charges a $100 fee if funds are short at the payroll debit deadline.
What do alternatives to Gusto cost?
At 25 employees Gusto lists at $199 a month; the lowest-priced alternatives compared here are Patriot Payroll ($162, $37 less), Square Payroll ($185, $14 less), and SurePayroll ($204, $5 more), at list price.
Does Gusto offer a free trial?
No. Gusto does not list a free trial.
How much does Gusto cost per month?
On its lowest published plan ($49 plus $6 per head), Gusto comes to about $109 a month for 10 employees and $349 for 50, at list price before add-ons and taxes; the Premium plan lists at $22/employee/mo + $180/mo base. How that compares across the category: What payroll software costs.
Does Gusto charge an implementation fee?
No. Gusto states no implementation fee.
Which Gusto plan should I choose?
Simple ($6/employee/mo + $49/mo base): unlimited payrolls per month and tax filings and payments. Plus ($12/employee/mo + $80/mo base): time tracking and scheduling and unlimited next day pay. Premium ($22/employee/mo + $180/mo base): premium Account Support and HR guidance and tools. Solo ($6/employee/mo + $49/mo base): compliant self-pay and automatic tax filing and reasonable salary calculator.
Is Gusto cheaper than Rippling?
Yes, at list price. For 25 employees Gusto comes to $199 a month against $240 for Rippling, its published starting price; the rest of Rippling’s pricing is quoted. Features, support and contract terms side by side: Gusto vs Rippling.
Who makes Gusto?
Gusto (payroll software) is sold by Gusto, Inc. Gusto launched in 2012. Gusto is headquartered in San Francisco, California, US. Gusto is privately held. See the Gusto company profile for the products it sells.
How this page was made
What it is built from
21 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 14, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology
Independent review
Passed our independent review on Nov 5, 2026. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested Gusto hands-on: this page uses public information only.
Who made it
The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us
Independence and errors
Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction
Compare Gusto pricing for your team
List prices are a starting point. Type your headcount in the calculator for an estimate, then answer up to 4 quick questions to see Gusto beside the 2 alternatives that fit you best.
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.
How we make money
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
Gusto Pricing
What changed
PlansWe now list Gusto’s Solo plan.
PublishedFirst published.
Sources
The 8 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person” “No contracts. Free account setup. Switch or cancel anytime.”
- Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“We’ve got all kinds of plans for all sizes of business. Explore all the options. You’ll pay nothing ‘til you’re ready to run payroll.”
- Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
- Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing“For full-service payroll, the cost is $35 per month, plus $6 per person paid per month.”
- SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/payroll“Pay employees in minutes, easily access reports, and get payroll taxes filed and deposited automatically.”
- Paychex paychex.com/payroll/paychex-flex-essentials“Our most affordable option: Only $39/mo. + $5 per employee”
- Gusto gusto.com/about/privacy“Gusto, Inc. Attn: Legal Privacy 525 20th Street San Francisco, CA 94107”
- Gusto gusto.com/about“Launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll, Gusto serves more than 500,000 businesses nationwide.” “We’re proud to have support from General Catalyst, T. Rowe, Capital G, and other prominent investors.”
Vendor? Reach buyers comparing Gusto